Make no mistake about it: the Butter London Summer Holiday 2013 Collection is scorching HOT. Taking inspiration from summer holidays spent in Spain by the brand’s Global Colour Ambassador (Ambassadress?), Katie Hughes, the six shades of this collection epitomize everything I consider summer: a long sandy beach, blazing sun overhead (+ an umbrella to shield you), the sensual glow of tanning oil (+ SPF, of course), and the beckoning sound of the ocean. Pure, unadulterated and hedonistically summer … I am so TOTALLY ready for this.

Find the complete details of an amazing Butter London promo offer at the end of this post!

Butter London – Summer Holiday Collection 2013

Poole – the only crème of the entire collection, this is a dusty Wedgewood Blue shade in a streak-free formula that applies smoothly along the nails, leaving a nice glossy finish behind. A cross between Robin’s Egg Blue and slightly Tiffany-esque, I was surprised to see that while I have many similar shades, none are in this exact tone. Bonus: non-staining. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Butter London – Poole

Butter London – Poole

Bobby Dazzler – a platinum/silvery foil hue with definitive mauve undertones, you need to work quickly in application as this shade dries super fast. Any visible brush strokes upon the first coat are quickly managed by a second layer, and you might consider a ridge filling base coat as a primer for an even smoother surface to paint on, as well as a steady hand to apply. There’s a brilliant natural gleam at the finish, but I added top coat for a glossier look. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

TIP: If wearing full-on silver feels like too much, you can try adding Bobby Dazzler either as an accent nail, or along the tips for an edgy take on a French mani.

Butter London – Bobby Dazzler

Butter London – Bobby Dazzler

Sunbaker – a burnished orange/copper metallic base hue that is filled with gold and pink glass fleck-like shimmer. A stellar formula with a self-levelling application and superior glossy shine at the finish, the colour saturation of this shade is intense. Love that lit-from-within glow – there’s just so much “movement” here! Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Butter London – Sunbaker

Butter London – Sunbaker

Marbs – an antiqued gold metallic shimmer bearing a luxe gilded patina, there are some bronze-y veins running throughout for added visual depth. Almost a 1-coater due to its high pigmentation, this formula is more forgiving that than of ‘Bobby Dazzler’, as it gives you more time for application before it sets. This ultra-dazzing 24 karat gold leaf shade leans slightly warm, but can be worn by basically all skin tones. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Butter London – Marbs

Butter London – Marbs

Champers – a complex rose-gold & champage hue in a combination metallic/shimmer/foil formula that bears a similar application to that of ‘Marbs’. Even with its predominantly silver sheen, there seems to be both cool & warm tones in this shade – which makes this the easiest metallic you will ever wear. Coats applied: 2

Butter London – Champers

Butter London – Champers

Bit Faker – (gotta love that name!) a clear base that is filled with densely packed ultra-fine glitter in shades of rose-gold and brown, application is ridiculously easy as each brush load is more than enough to cover the nail. The natural finish is semi-matte and lightly textured like that of fine-grit sandpaper, while the interesting mix of colours almost makes this shade a “neutral glitter” – highly unique. By adding top coat (see the 2nd swatch photo), every particle bursts into life, but I personally prefer it au naturel (but it’s nice to have that choice, no?) – LOVE! Coats applied: 2

Butter London – Bit Faker

Butter London – Bit Faker, top coat added

Last word: I don’t know if Butter London has adapted their formula, but I found that all these shades seemed to dry incredibly fast – which is a good thing -although in the case of ‘Bobby Dazzler’, just remember to work extra quickly. Having a total weakness for aquatic colours, especially come the summer time, ‘Poole’ is a no-brainer win for me, but I was surprised to find myself loving the almost retina-searing brightness of ‘Sunbaker’ and the fudgy glitter bomb of ‘Bit Faker’. The Olympic-medal trio of ‘Marbs’, Bobby Dazzler’, and ‘Champers’ will look spectacular against lightly tanned skin … perfect accessories for the beach, I say! And now for the promo:

*From April 15th until May 15th, you can enjoy 20% off all Butter London products (not applicable on bundles or discounted packs) when you purchase online through ButterLondon.ca – enter the code “OMMORPHIA” at checkout to take advantage of this fabulous offer!